Did Humpty Dumpty Predict his Fall?
by Betterbuddy
Summary: Gibbs tries to support and guide DiNozzo through his ongoing relationship struggles with women and family. Tony is on an emotional roller coaster being hit constantly with personal and work related traumas that lead up to an ultimate test of his character, as he must overcome his insecurities, self-destructiveness, commitment issues, and lack of self-confidence. S8&9spoilers
1. Chapter 1

Introduction: Did Humpty Dumpty Predict His Fall?

**Author Note: Direct spoilers of False Witness (Season 8)**

"_**Did Humpty Dumpty predict his fall?"**_

_Humpty Dumpty was an __**egg**__ that could easily shatter from a minor trip or fall, so why was he up on that wall?_

_**Was he having an identity crisis? **_

_**Was it a lack of self-confidence or even a suicide attempt?**_

_**What is considered self-destructive behavior, anyway?**_

**December 2010**

**Vance's office**

"You wanted to see me." Gibbs said directly to Vance as he barged through the closed door. As he sat absorbed in his paperwork, Vance was a bit startled by the surprise entrance.

"Yes, Gibbs I did." Vance said standing up. Presents and a suit case sat on the table near him. He glanced at them before refocusing on Gibbs.

"We are at that point in the year again, Gibbs." Vance said, throwing a bone to Gibbs.

"Yes, we are." Gibbs said looking at him curiously. He sensed that Vance was baiting him with the cryptic statement.

"Do you remember a conversation that we had last year. . .around this time?" Vance asked.

Gibbs glared at Vance, but considered the comment.

Realizing that Gibbs was not catching his clues, Vance made a direct reference to the conversation.

"Your team, Gibbs. . .I think you all should take a vacation, specifically the field team." Vance said.

"_**No**_. . .we don't need one." Gibbs defended.

"All right then, let's handle the problem directly then. Do you remember the conversation that we had last year?" Vance said.

"Yeah. . ." Gibbs said sharply. "You want me to bench, DiNozzo. -not going to happen, Leon."

"Then, I'll bench him." Vance said. "It is worse this year than it was last year." Vance said.

"He is _**not**_ depressed, and he gets the job done." Gibbs said.

"Every year at this time. . ." Vance started to say. "Every year around the holidays, he acts differently, and it distracts you and the rest of your team. It is even worse this year."

"I'll handle it." Gibbs said.

"This needs to be addressed." Vance repeated.

"Thanks. . .for the insights Leon." Gibbs snarled.

"This is even worse this year than last year." Vance repeated.

"How so?!" Gibbs finally shot back at the repeated statement. He was now curious of the meaning.

"You ask him." Vance said. "Despite what he may have led you to believe, he never actually left the building the last two nights."

Gibbs continued to glare at Vance, but he was taken off guard by that information.

"You weren't aware of how he has been acting?" Vance asked. His tone had changed now. He no longer was baiting Gibbs or prepared to argue. Vance showed his genuine concern.

"Did he tell you . . ._something_?" Gibbs asked, looking at Vance suspiciously.

"He did show a . . .very vulnerable side to me like nothing I have ever seen before." Vance admitted. Vance looked to Gibbs. "Look, like I said, it is worse this year. You have to take my word on that. His behavior _does_ affect your whole team."

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	2. first

Chapter 1

**Two days later in the squad room**

"Boss, we have Smitty Brown." McGee said to Gibbs by cellphone.

"All right, good work McGee, you can bring him to interrogation." Gibbs said.

After hanging up, Gibbs looked over at the agent sitting diagonal from him. Part of Gibbs liked the no-nonsense, focused, hard-working characteristics of the brand new Anthony DiNozzo, who also rejected a beautiful female DA's come-ons.

_Flashback to earlier in the squad room__ with Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee_

"_The old knife to the neck, reminds me of. . ." DiNozzo said._

"_Reminds you of what? Reminds you of an old fraternity prank. . .a Halloween movie?" McGee said._

"_I know what you are doing." DiNozzo said._

"_And, I know what you are doing?" McGee said._

"_What am I doing?" DiNozzo said._

"_I don't know. But, it bugging me to such a degree. . ." McGee said. (McGee is head slapped by Gibbs)_

"_I know what we are not doing." Gibbs said._

Gibbs hated to admit when he was wrong, specifically when Vance was right. DiNozzo's strange behavior was not only distracting Gibbs but the rest of the team as well. The winter depression or the holiday blues were worse this year. The concern was no longer about waiting for the punch line of DiNozzo's weird joke. Instead, the concern was more about the strange behavior becoming permanent and being of a more serious nature. No traces of the DiNozzo they knew and loved seemed to exist anymore. DiNozzo was being so straight, so emotionless, and totally unreadable.

_Flashback to earlier in Abby's Lab __with Gibbs, Abby, and DiNozzo_

"_Good Job." Gibbs said. DiNozzo looked down. Gibbs started to walk away from DiNozzo and Abby._

"_Again?" Gibbs added, turning back around looking over DiNozzo._

"_Thanks Boss." DiNozzo said looking surprised and then away._

"_. . .you feeling okay, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, looking him over._

"_Never felt better." DiNozzo said._

"_Mmm." Gibbs said. He was not satisfied but he left._

"_Uhm, I would stay away from that Jerry, if I were you." Abby adds._

"DiNozzo. . ." Gibbs said with a hint of frustration in his tone. ". . .with me. They are bringing in Smitty Brown right now." Gibbs stood up to leave. DiNozzo jumped up and was at his desk quicker than Gibbs could even stand up. This action in itself caused concern. Gibbs-the-investigator was working overtime as he looked him over.

"Tony, _are_ you feeling okay?" Gibbs asked.

"I am fine, Boss." DiNozzo said again looking directly at Gibbs.

"Come on now! What is the matter then?" Gibbs asked in his own out-of-character tone, nearly begging him to talk. Gibbs stepped in front of him treating him with a hard Gibbs-the-interrogator stare. Usually Gibbs' Marine tactics were much more effective with DiNozzo. DiNozzo stood motionless in the middle of the squad room with Gibbs addressing him. DiNozzo let himself be studied by Gibbs. Even for the Gibbs' gut, DiNozzo was unreadable. DiNozzo stood there with a solid face. Gibbs' intimidating staring techniques that normally made a nervous DiNozzo start talking and even squirming - had no effect this time.

"There is nothing the matter, Boss." DiNozzo said. His normally animated demeanor was replaced with this emotionless, robotic behavior. Gibbs had to keep his hand back, knowing that he could not head slap DiNozzo for doing his job and for not messing around.

"Tony. . ." Gibbs tried again to get DiNozzo talking.

"What caused this?" Gibbs asked in a soft and most nonthreatening tone.

"Boss?" DiNozzo asked acting confused, as he continued to shelter all of his emotions.

"I know how you changed, after things ended with Wendy." Gibbs said softly. "I watched your behavior change again after Jeanne Benoit. I saw what that did to you too. Did something _**new**_ happen? Was there someone else?"

Gibbs had to stop, when he saw McGee and Ziva enter with Smitty Brown. As they entered, Gibbs had seen a reaction from his comments for the first time from DiNozzo. In a blink, that trace of the real DiNozzo was gone.

"I am not done with you." Gibbs warned. The fatherly threat got no reaction from DiNozzo. DiNozzo followed Gibbs to interrogation.

Their case had them tied up until late that night, which led to the confrontation with Matthew Gray in the alley. When the team returned to headquarters, DiNozzo did manage to slip out before Gibbs could corner him. Considering Vance's comments, Gibbs decided not to wait around to see if DiNozzo did come back.

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	3. second

Chapter 2

**Next Morning – Squad room**

"No Jerry, I don't!" Gibbs yelled at Jerry as he ran off of the elevator. Once again, Gibbs found DiNozzo sitting at his desk already, handling paper work. Adding to the frustration was his having to still deal with Jerry, who just did not seem to want to leave.

Now ignoring Jerry, who just sat down at Gibbs' desks, Gibbs approached DiNozzo's desk slowly.

"Good Morning, Boss." DiNozzo said, watching Gibbs carefully as he approached.

"Hey." Gibbs whispered looking him over. Gibbs shook his head. "We need to finish that talk."

"You don't have to. . .Boss. I already had a lecture from Ziva and even a little one from McGee." DiNozzo said with a hint of frustration. That was the first sign of emotion that Gibbs had seen in days.

"So, now it is time for your lecture from me, DiNozzo. Whatever _this_ is. . ." Gibbs started to say waving his hand. "Whatever it is that you are going through right now, it is distracting all of us." Gibbs said strongly.

"I realize that. I am sorry for that Boss." DiNozzo said.

"What is the matter?" Gibbs said.

"I am good, really." DiNozzo said trying to dismiss his concerns. "All is well."

"What are you doing here this early, then?" Gibbs said strongly.

"I just needed to do something before McGee and Ziva came in." DiNozzo said.

"Really? Did it involve superglue?" Gibbs asked.

"Superglue?" Jerry interrupted for clarification.

"Yeah, a little." DiNozzo said. Gibbs shook his head.

"Nobody is buying this act anymore, DiNozzo. Using a little superglue will not convince us otherwise." Gibbs said glaring at him. He threw up his arms and walked out of the room, leaving DiNozzo with a very interested Jerry.

"So what did you need to do?" Jerry asked.

"Oh, I just set up a little Christmas surprise." DiNozzo said. "Here, I'll show you."

"Ha! That is neat. That is a lot of confetti launchers. Hey, you should set up the screen to say happy holidays or something too. Here, I'll help." Jerry said.

"So, any special plans for Christmas?" Jerry asked.

"No." DiNozzo said. "How about you?"

"Don't you have lots of family? You are Italian, and I noticed you are a Junior. Don't you celebrate with Senior?" Jerry asked. After splashing himself with water to cool off, Gibbs came out of the bathroom and slowly approached the squad room. He stood to the side, listening in on the conversation.

"No, . . ." DiNozzo shook his head in frustration feeling like he was in the interrogation room.

"I don't remember family holidays being all that fun when I was growing up." DiNozzo said. "The last family get together I went to was Thanksgiving in '98 and it even turned bloody."

"Are your parents divorced?" Jerry said.

"No." DiNozzo said sharply, rolling his eyes at him as he felt he was being interrogated.

"Never married?" Jerry asked.

"My mother died when I was 8." DiNozzo said.

"So the other DiNozzos do not get along, then?" Jerry asked. DiNozzo did not answer.

"So did you disown them or did they disown you?" Jerry asked. DiNozzo did not answer again.

"My guess is you wanted to get married at one time, but your family got in the way." Jerry said.

"Either that or your job." Jerry added. DiNozzo turned to glare at him. "How many serious relationships have you had, since you became a cop?"

Gibbs raised his eyebrows at the questions that Jerry was firing out, as well as DiNozzo's responses to them. They were questions that DiNozzo would normally ignore or respond to with a sarcastic or silly remark.

"No, I am not married. Both my family and my job were factors in why that did not happen eight years ago now." DiNozzo almost growled as he spoke, spilling everything on his mind to Jerry.

"Another serious relationship went south when I was working undercover. I guess it was wrong. . .wrong to assume I could make a relationship work with a fake identity." DiNozzo said.

"Fake identity?" Jerry asked in confusion.

"Well, see I was working undercover. I wasn't DiNozzo." DiNozzo said, stopping when he realized he was actually explaining personal details of his relationships with a complete stranger.

"So your family is that bad that you disowned them and actually played with the idea of assuming another identity to make a relationship work?" Jerry asked.

"No! It is my choice. I'll settle down when I am ready. In fact last year, a woman at my Boss' coffee shop posted that we were in a _**committed**_ relationship, after I slept with her just once. She thought, anyway, that we were in a committed relationship, posting it online for all to see. So, I blew her off and didn't return her phone calls. . . .And, now she admitted herself into a mental health facility after wrapping her car around a tree." Although Jerry was getting on his nerves with all of the personal questions, DiNozzo was able to relax after sharing those details.

After hearing DiNozzo's surprisingly detailed confession, Gibbs returned to the squad room and glared at Jerry who was becoming an increased annoyance.

"What do you plan to do. . .?" Jerry started to ask DiNozzo the next set of questions.

"Hey!" Gibbs yelled at Jerry. "Go!" Gibbs pointed toward the elevator.

"Okay, okay, I am gone. Thank you Agent Gibbs. Thanks Agent DiNozzo." He said. DiNozzo nodded and forced a grin. Jerry headed for the elevator.

* * *

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	4. third

Chapter 3

Gibbs watched him leave the squad room and waited for him to get out of ear shot. Palmer stepped off of the elevator. Gibbs could see that Jerry still had not left, but he was busy talking with Palmer.

Gibbs studied DiNozzo, who was still sitting at his desk. DiNozzo could feel Gibbs staring at him as DiNozzo looked down at his desk, trying to refocus after his confession. Gibbs walked around his desk and leaned in closely to DiNozzo.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said nervously, squirming under his glare. He straightened as Gibbs examining him.

"You talk to me, now." Gibbs ordered. "You don't lie to me this time. This isn't a joke either."

"Boss, . . .there is nothing to say." DiNozzo said. Gibbs reached back and gave him a swift smack on the back of the head. An action he quickly regretted. At first, Gibbs thought the direct, forceful, and "un-nice" treatment that always worked in the past would make DiNozzo feel more comfortable. Instead, DiNozzo quickly became flustered and defensive by the head slap.

"Why is it that you could talk to Jerry—but you can't talk to me?" Gibbs asked forcefully.

"I am sorry, Boss. I already talked to Ziva yesterday. _She is so persistent_. Just like _**Jerry. . .**_ Anyway, I guess it was fresh on my mind, and I just kept talking. I—I am sorry Boss."

"What is going on in that head of yours?" Gibbs continued to ask now in a softened tone.

"What are you doing Tony? Are you trying to re-invent yourself overnight?" Gibbs asked softly. "Is that even what you were doing?"

"I don't know." DiNozzo said softly staring blankly away from Gibbs.

"Talk to me." Gibbs said, realizing that DiNozzo was really clamming up.

"I didn't know you well enough to stop your destructive patterns, when you first broke up with Wendy. . ."

"Why do you keep bringing her up?" DiNozzo interjected. They studied each other, after DiNozzo's interruption.

"What about _your_ destructive patterns?" DiNozzo fired back, but he then cringed after making the comment.

"I was. . . married four times, Tony." Gibbs admitted.

"_**You**_ almost got married once." Gibbs redirected in a whisper. "You never tried to repair that relationship either, and you have avoided all new commitments since. So Brenda Bittner, huh. . .? _What_ was your plan after that failure?"

"I didn't have a plan, Boss." DiNozzo said now trying to leave. He could see how determined Gibbs was to get answers. Gibbs quickly grabbed the back of his chair, so he was unable to back up from his desk. DiNozzo lightly groaned.

"There is no harm from taking a break from dating." He admitted, trying to get up from his chair again.

"Like you did after your breakup from Jeanne Benoit?" Gibbs said. Gibbs had anticipated the strong reaction from DiNozzo. He had not realized until now how much that relationship had meant to DiNozzo until hearing his confession to Jerry.

"No more one-night stands, Tony." Gibbs tried to order him. "Stop these destructive patterns."

"That's my business. . ." DiNozzo said defensively.

"And, I am not being destructive." He added.

"You have completely distracted us for the last three days over this one." Gibbs stated.

"I know, Boss, . . .I am. . .I am sorry." DiNozzo struggled to say after the comment.

"We were really worried about you. And, here it is the holidays. . ." Gibbs said, thinking back to Vance's comments.

From hearing Gibbs say that again, DiNozzo went silent for a moment, as he was unsure how he should react. He knew they were concerned and focusing on him. Yet, he also did not understand how his actions to avoid attention - actually caused him to become the center of everyone's attention.

"I am sorry, Boss. I am. . .I didn't mean. . ." DiNozzo tried to apologize.

"I don't want an apology, Tony." Gibbs said intensely. As DiNozzo struggled, Gibbs reached over and gave him a soft pat on his head, where he had smacked him before.

"I don't think I was acting that weird, Boss." DiNozzo said.

"Your reaction of the D.A.'s advances alone were cause for concern." Gibbs said.

"Isn't that how you _**want**_ me to act?" DiNozzo snapped back. Gibbs treated DiNozzo with a hard stare.

"So now you want me to stop the one-night stands?" DiNozzo asked. "In other words, you're ordering me to get into a committed relationship?" DiNozzo asked in surprise from the realization.

"This whole thing just got under my skin that is all. . ." DiNozzo admitted. ". . .but I'll be fine."

"Is there more to this story?" Gibbs asked directly, after the lack of cooperation.

"No!" Palmer yelled in the distance. "That is not true."

Gibbs watched as DiNozzo's attention was pulled away from him and his question, when Palmer started sobbing.

* * *

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	5. fourth

Chapter 4

"No Jerry, I do not have a confidence problem." Palmer yelled. DiNozzo got up and was ready to head toward Palmer. Gibbs grabbed his shoulder and pushed DiNozzo back down in his desk chair, as Gibbs went over to get Jerry away from Palmer.

Gibbs grabbed Jerry and asked him to follow him to the conference room.

"What did you say to Palmer?" Gibbs asked him.

"We were talking about his relationships with his parents, friends, co-workers, and Brenna." Jerry answered.

". . .and how about DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"He seems to lack self-confidence when it comes to his personal relationships with women, co-workers, and family, so he results to these self-destructive patterns to feel more in control. My guess is he is going through an identity crisis of some kind. He doesn't know how to act around everyone to avoid getting hurt."

"Did he actually say that?" Gibbs asked, wondering if he actually missed some of DiNozzo's confession.

"Which part?" Jerry asked.

"That we hurt him." Gibbs said.

"No, not specifically, however, why else would be acting so out-of-character around you guys? He can't share with you how he really feels or what really happened, so he would rather have you focus on his out-of-character behavior instead of the real problem." Gibbs let out an awkward laugh to the idea.

"I think it is time for my team to focus on their jobs. You are distracting them from that, Jerry. It is time for you to go." Gibbs extended his hand for a handshake.

Jerry stepped out of the conference room and headed down the stairs. Gibbs could see the exchange between Jerry and DiNozzo as the squad room was decorated with confetti.

"You!" Ziva said strongly to DiNozzo, holding her weapon as the confetti launchers continued to explode.

"Too much?" DiNozzo said starting to cringe after seeing their strong reactions. McGee and Ziva just stood in shock of DiNozzo.

"What?" DiNozzo said after a moment, as he looked back to McGee and Ziva. "This is how you want me to act, isn't it?" The impatient response did not go unnoticed by Gibbs.

"You!" Ziva snarled again. McGee still stood in shock, looking around at the confetti.

Gibbs stood in the middle of stair case landing, watching as Jerry finally left.

Gibbs refocused his attention on his whole team now. McGee and Ziva were literally in shock from DiNozzo's latest action. Even from the staircase, he could see that they were still concerned and that little Holiday display did not take DiNozzo off of their radars. Gibbs then reconsidered Jerry's insights, which might have been accurate about DiNozzo.

* * *

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	6. fifth

Chapter 5

"DiNozzo." Gibbs finally said after they continued to stare at him.

"Yes Boss." DiNozzo said whipping his head around.

"With me." Gibbs said. Gibbs headed back up the stairs, waiting at the top of the stairs for DiNozzo to join him.

"Boss?" DiNozzo asked nervously, when he saw the look Gibbs' eyes. He slowly approached Gibbs.

"Come here." Gibbs said directing him to the elevator.

"You wanted me to come upstairs, so that we could ride in the elevator back down?" DiNozzo asked sarcastically.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said when Gibbs did not respond. Gibbs raised his eyebrows giving him a dissatisfied look with how long DiNozzo was taking to join him.

Very reluctantly, DiNozzo entered the elevator with Gibbs. To his surprise, Gibbs did not hit the emergency stop. Instead, Gibbs hit the button for the ground level. Neither of the men said a word on their ride down. DiNozzo tried to consider the possible plans that Gibbs had for him.

"Just relax, Tony." Gibbs said gently. "We are just going for coffee."

When the elevator doors opened, Gibbs pointed him in the direction of the car lot.

The two remained quiet as Gibbs drove, but DiNozzo could not conceal how uneasy he was with this. After a few minutes, Gibbs then parked on the street just outside his coffee shop. As he put the car in park, Gibbs turned to face DiNozzo.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said looking embarrassed. He looked back and forth from Gibbs to the coffee shop. Gibbs continued to watch him, but he said nothing.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said again shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Gibbs could almost see the fear in his eyes now. While, DiNozzo could clearly see the concern and worry in Gibbs' eyes. DiNozzo turned to look at the coffee shop again, where he first met Brenda Bittner.

"I never should have gone out with her." DiNozzo said softly, before turning back to Gibbs. Gibbs continued to watch him. After hearing his confession, Gibbs nodded in agreement.

"I am going in for some coffee." Gibbs said. Gibbs watched as DiNozzo nervously shook his head. Gibbs grinned slightly at his reaction. As he was about to get out, Gibbs looked him over again.

"Hey, come on. . ." Gibbs said softly. ". . .let's go."

"Boss, no . . .I really don't want anything." DiNozzo said almost frantically.

"Yeah, but you can't stay in here. It is too cold." Gibbs said.

"Let's go." Gibbs said, opening his door.

"No, I can't." DiNozzo said in resistance. "I'll be fine here. Go ahead."

DiNozzo felt himself being examined. Gibbs was looking him over closely wishing this was some sort of silly DiNozzo joke.

"Hey. . ." Gibbs said, closing his door up again. "What? Talk to me, DiNozzo."

"I. . ." DiNozzo said then he laughed nervously at the Gibbs' stare. "I just rather not go in there."

"Why Tony?" Gibbs ordered gently. "You tell me."

DiNozzo smiled nervously. He waved off Gibbs' concern. Gibbs leaned in closer to DiNozzo.

"_**She**_ is not in there. You _**know**_ that." Gibbs said.

"Can I just go back. . .to the office?" DiNozzo asked with a nervous laugh. "I'll walk back."

"No." Gibbs said quickly, grabbing hold of his arm.

"No?" DiNozzo asked in a surprised, letting out an awkward laugh.

"You need to deal with this problem directly." Gibbs said. "And, Ziva and McGee aren't getting any work done with you around. Your odd behavior is too much of a distraction." Gibbs explained.

DiNozzo's eyes quickly could not hide the hurt.

"Come on, Boss. I am always a distraction." DiNozzo stated sarcastically.

"_**This**_ is different." Gibbs said.

"So, I can't go back until I act right, again?" DiNozzo said. Gibbs did not answer.

"Who decides when I am acting right anyway?" DiNozzo asked. "I never meet the expectations."

"We know. . .when you are putting on an act." Gibbs said. "I know when you are lying to yourself or trying to distract yourself from the real problem."

"How do you want me to _act_, then?" DiNozzo asked in frustration.

"You tell me this whole Brenda Bittner story." Gibbs said.

"I told you everything." DiNozzo said.

"Not all of it." Gibbs added. "There is _always_ more. Whatever happened not only caused you to change your dating style, but you actually changed your personality again to help yourself deal with it." Gibbs said accusingly.

"Again?" DiNozzo asked. "Well, everything is good now."

DiNozzo said, lacking confidence in his statement, with Gibbs' on target analysis of his behavior.

"The only reason you put on that _**act**_ back in the squad room with the _confetti_ was Ziva and I are figuring out what the real source of the problem."

"What problem?" DiNozzo laughed at the concept.

"Wendy, Jeanne Benoit." Gibbs offered. "Your commitment issues. . ."

"Brenda Bittner crashed her car." DiNozzo said in his defense. "We barely knew each other or rather I barely knew her. There is no relationship commitment issue there."

"And?" Gibbs prompted.

DiNozzo exhaled and looked away from him at the coffee shop again.

"Tony, look at me." Gibbs said.

"She actually reminded me of Wendy, in a lot of ways. She was pushy, forceful, and even controlling. When I wouldn't return her calls, she started following me, when I would leave work each day. One of the times, she followed me-she crashed her car." DiNozzo gave a confusing answer before staring back at the coffee shop, forgetting that Gibbs was even in the car with him.

"Tony!" Gibbs said rather harshly when he went quiet. DiNozzo jumped and turned to look back at Gibbs. Gibbs reached over and placed his hand on DiNozzo's cheek.

"What?" Gibbs asked softly. "What is going on in your head?"

"There is just nothing more to say. It isn't important." DiNozzo said trying to shake his head and look away. Gibbs kept his hand firmly placed on his cheek. DiNozzo again avoided his questions and continued to stare away from him.

"Why won't you just answer me? Tell me what you are thinking." Gibbs snapped.

"There was something about her though. Whenever we would talk in that coffee shop, she seemed to know things about me that I never told her." DiNozzo turned to look back at the coffee shop.

"Like what?" Gibbs asked watching him closely.

"She knew that I played for Ohio State. She knew what fraternity I was in, and the names of my frat brothers. She even knew my free throw percentage during the playoffs during my last year." DiNozzo said. "She knew stuff about my father. She said herself that she never was even in Ohio, let alone a student at Ohio State."

"Well . . .that is a bit weird . . ." Gibbs struggled to respond to DiNozzo's confession without sounding worried.

"I think that is what the draw was. That is why I slept with her in the first place." DiNozzo said looking to Gibbs.

"That car crash . . ." Gibbs started to say suspiciously.

"She was following me." DiNozzo admitted. "I knew. . .she was following me. So, I sped up, and I was probably going forty over the speed limit. She was still right behind me, and then. . ."

". . .it was my fault. She was driving too fast and lost control." DiNozzo admitted. DiNozzo turned back to the coffee shop.

"It wasn't your fault." Gibbs said. "She shouldn't be following you."

"Hey!" Gibbs said sharply.

"Yes, Boss." DiNozzo said in a dull tone.

As the windows started to freeze up in the car and the temperature within the car was dropping fast, Gibbs watched as DiNozzo became increasingly agitated in that confined cold space following their discussion.

* * *

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	7. sixth

Chapter 6

From watching their cold breaths and seeing DiNozzo's cheeks turn a bright red, Gibbs turned the ignition to heat up the car and to drive back to headquarters minus his coffee.

"Why do you keep stuff like this to yourself? This is serious Tony." Gibbs asked angrily.

"I . . .I don't know." DiNozzo said. "I guess that I thought it was a normal problem."

"A normal problem?" Gibbs repeated.

"You know, women that get upset with one-night stands." DiNozzo said. Gibbs shook his head in disgust.

"You should have married Wendy." Gibbs said bluntly.

"Come on, Boss. . ." DiNozzo said in surprise of Gibbs' comments.

"You did nothing to repair that relationship." Gibbs said.

"And you wouldn't have women stalking you now either." Gibbs said, as he put the car in gear.

"Come on Boss. . ." DiNozzo said in a hurt tone. "That isn't fair."

"Wendy got divorced. Did you know that?" Gibbs said. DiNozzo turned to him in shock of his statement.

"How-why do you even know that?" DiNozzo asked.

"I ran into her once." Gibbs admitted. "Actually, she was getting coffee one day – right back there." Gibbs said driving them back to NCIS headquarters. DiNozzo got quiet and tried to look through the fogged up windows, away from Gibbs, who had now pulled into the lot. After turning off the car, Gibbs noticed that DiNozzo had not moved and was hiding his face from him.

"Let's go Tony. You wanted to come back and now we are." Gibbs said, unsure if DiNozzo was mad at him or just overwhelmed with the situation. As Gibbs got out of the car, DiNozzo slowly followed him. Gibbs stopped at the elevator and let the distracted agent catch up. Gibbs continued to wait, watching him closely.

He looked DiNozzo over carefully but still could not see his face. DiNozzo seemed so defeated, walking so slowly carrying his head down low, with his face totally out of sight from Gibbs. Gibbs could sense the flood of emotions that were overtaking DiNozzo. At the same time, DiNozzo could feel himself once again being examined by Gibbs, keeping his face out of view.

DiNozzo approached him but his entire body tensed up. He struggled to look directly at Gibbs. Finally, Gibbs reached over and latched onto both of his shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Gibbs asked, realizing that DiNozzo had not uttered a sound since he learned that Gibbs had talked to Wendy. Gibbs struggled to get eye contact with him again, and he could feel how tense DiNozzo's body really was.

"Look at me Tony." Gibbs said softly.

". . .stop being difficult." Gibbs whispered gently. He came to realize how distressed DiNozzo was. Gibbs considered that this conversation may have pushed him beyond what he could emotionally handle now.

DiNozzo had handled the Bittner discussion and Gibbs' tough-love as well as lecture on relationships. However, the mention of Wendy being right there at Gibbs' coffee shop possibly being the one who talked to Brenda Bittner or the idea of her having seen him with Brenda Bittner had pushed him beyond his limitations.

As DiNozzo continued to look down and away from him, Gibbs finally bent over to look at his concealed face. DiNozzo closed his eyes for a long moment before looking directly at Gibbs. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot.

Doubting what he saw, Gibbs leaned in even closer to him looking into his eyes, which made Tony become more agitated, tear up more, and squirm to move away from him.

"Hey. . ." Gibbs said, as DiNozzo tried to slip away from him.

Gibbs gripped down harder on his shoulders and quickly moved even closer to DiNozzo, as DiNozzo tried to avoid his strong, examining stare.

When the elevator doors opened, Gibbs forcefully pulled him into the elevator.

"No." DiNozzo said in a soft, weak voice.

Being pulled into Gibbs' legendary office did nothing to relax DiNozzo. Gibbs hit the emergency stop.

"Look at me." Gibbs said forcefully again.

As DiNozzo continued to fight off the attention, Gibbs moved his hand up his shoulders again, placing his hand on DiNozzo's cheek, trying to calm him. He now did the same with his other hand. Gibbs was holding DiNozzo's face and forcing eye contact.

* * *

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	8. seventh

Chapter 7

"I really need to be alone, Boss." DiNozzo said struggling to pull away to compose himself, unable to look even for a second at the Marine's concerned face.

Under normal circumstances, Gibbs would have control of the situation, but this was new territory for him. Gibbs did step over slightly, blocking the elevator controls from DiNozzo's view.

"I can't do this right now. I can't _act_ the way you expect me to act." DiNozzo said. He looked at Gibbs' worried face again and knew that he needed to compose himself to get out of the elevator.

"What can I do?" Gibbs asked softly.

"Head slap?" DiNozzo responded with an awkward chuckle. Gibbs did not see any humor in the statement. In defeat, DiNozzo looked to Gibbs not hiding the tears now flowing out of his eyes.

"You talk to me." Gibbs ordered.

"Not about this." DiNozzo said.

"Are you worried about Wendy? Wendy knows you, and she is not a threat." Gibbs offered.

"Why was she even there?" DiNozzo blurted out, regretting the words as quickly as he said them in front of Gibbs.

Gibbs could feel his body trembling, so he finally backed away released his hold. Although he did not allow DiNozzo to leave, he gave DiNozzo space and a moment to try to compose himself.

"What is it Tony?" Gibbs asked.

"There is nothing to say." DiNozzo said in frustration.

"Yeah?" Gibbs said intensely.

"In the nine years that we have worked together, you have never once did _**that**_. . .right in front of me." Gibbs said without having to elaborate. DiNozzo winced and looked away in shame from the comment.

"Listen to me. You have gone out of your way to never show that much emotion in front of me before. You have always put on an act . . ." Gibbs repeated in a whisper. Gibbs tried to emphasize his concern with the way DiNozzo was showing vulnerability in front of him without embarrassing DiNozzo.

"I am sorry, Boss." DiNozzo said overwhelmed with embarrassment. "I know I am a distraction to you, to them, and even myself."

"No. Don't" Gibbs snapped waving his finger at him.

"What is different this time? Just tell me what the problem is." Gibbs asked.

"I watched _Old Yeller _last night, and I guess I was just having a flashback." DiNozzo said.

Treating DiNozzo with a disapproving glare, he started to slowly move back close to him again, closing in on the space that he had given DiNozzo to re-compose himself.

* * *

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	9. eighth

Chapter 8

"It was a moment of weakness, and it won't happen again." DiNozzo said quickly trying to back away, as he was treated with the Gibbs' glare again.

"Tony, you are not hearing me." Gibbs sighed.

"I can't stay in here, Boss." DiNozzo said, as he felt that the elevator was becoming smaller and hotter.

Gibbs had successfully closed the gap between them. He stood so closely to DiNozzo now, who became increasingly agitated with the intensity of Gibbs' concerned stare and his feeling of imprisonment in the elevator.

"So what exactly caused you to get that upset from the simple mention of her name?" Gibbs asked, acting more like an interrogator again. DiNozzo swallowed hard and a flash of panic flooded his face, which did not go unnoticed by Gibbs.

"You know what happened." DiNozzo said painfully.

"I feel as if I have been left in the dark concerning the details." Gibbs said. "I don't think that it was a coincidence that you seemed to cut off all contact from Wendy and your own family after that."

"She was the one that called it off." DiNozzo said defensively.

"I never went to the wedding rehearsal dinner. . ." Gibbs started to say.

"And you were an undecided for the wedding day." DiNozzo reminded him of his divorce from Diane and the end to all of his marriages.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know. . ." DiNozzo said yelling out in frustration of the question. ". . .what happened."

"I just don't know." DiNozzo repeated. DiNozzo could not ignore Gibbs' suspicious glare.

"Not everything is my fault." DiNozzo blurted out very emotionally again.

The emotional tone in his voice caused an overly concerned Gibbs to study him again. Although they were both looking directly at each other and DiNozzo was actually a bit taller than Gibbs, DiNozzo felt as if Gibbs was getting taller and towering over him. He felt that Gibbs was standing over him just looking down upon him with disapproving eyes and thoughts.

"My family. . .wasn't very nice to her, when they learned of the engagement. They never approved, and I didn't do enough to protect her from them. A very odd and _inappropriate_ toast that my. . .uncle gave caused her to call of the wedding." DiNozzo struggled to present the statement. Then he cringed and looked away.

"Go on." Gibbs asked intensely.

"It doesn't matter." DiNozzo gasped now realizing that he had made the statement about his uncle out loud. He looked to Gibbs-the-interrogator who knew that he had gotten the key piece of information that he was searching for.

"This is history."

"And Wendy?" Gibbs asked.

"Why do you keep bringing her up?" DiNozzo asked in frustration. "She is Christmas past!"

"This whole discussion has to do with your relationships." Gibbs said, thinking back to Jerry's comments about DiNozzo's lack of confidence with co-workers, women, and family.

DiNozzo looked down and got very quiet again. His breathing became quicker and shallower as he became overwhelmed with the discussion. DiNozzo wondered if he could really share his true feelings and the real details regarding this. Gibbs knew more about this situation than any other person, yet Gibbs still did not know everything that took place during his engagement to Wendy.

DiNozzo could not even discuss the details of the breakup with his father, since his father had never approved of his dating his high-school music teacher from the beginning. He and his father were barely on speaking terms before the engagement, and the estrangement became worse after the breakup. DiNozzo continued to struggle with how much detail he should really provide to Gibbs, also.

He was hiding his face from Gibbs again. This did not go unnoticed by Gibbs, who could see that he was struggling to continue. Gibbs took his finger and gently tried to lift DiNozzo's chin to make eye contact again. Although he did not fight him, DiNozzo did have something to hide. His eyes were starting to tear again, and he struggled from the eye contact with Gibbs. His eyes burned every time he looked at Gibbs.

"What did he say, Tony?" Gibbs asked softly. "This is eating away at you I can see that."

"It doesn't matter, anyway. It is over, and it has been over." DiNozzo said lacking the words.

Gibbs watched as DiNozzo pulled away from him and buried his face in his hands.

"Can we get out of this elevator now, _**please**_?" DiNozzo asked. "I need a moment alone."

"You are doing. . .just fine right here. . with me. Ziva and McGee need some more time to get their work done, and we need to deal with what is going on with _you._" Gibbs said.

From Gibbs' comments, DiNozzo groaned and turned away from him forcefully.

"No you don't." Gibbs said softly. "Hey, look at me." Gibbs ordered again grabbing his arm and pulling him back around, placing his hand on his cheek again.

"Boss, please . . ." DiNozzo started to say but was effectively cut off, but he turned to face Gibbs much more composed again.

"Hey. . . you were actually _crying_ right in front of me. Something you have never done before. You need to stay. . . right here. . .with me." Gibbs whispered.

When his typical "yes, Boss" response was absent, Gibbs watched as DiNozzo tried to hide the hurt he had in his eyes from the comment. DiNozzo was also scared that he might not be able to hide his emotions with the tough questions that Gibbs was firing at him.

* * *

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	10. nineth

Chapter 9

After giving DiNozzo a few moments to wrestle with the ideas in his head, Gibbs redirected the conversation.

"This uncle. . .that gave the toast. . .was he a DiNozzo or was he on your mother's side of the family?" Gibbs asked carefully.

Taken off guard by the question, he hesitated before answering. DiNozzo tried to anticipate the angle for which Gibbs was taking the conversation now.

"Ugh, he was . . ." DiNozzo hesitated again for a moment trying to understand why Gibbs' asked this. "He was on my mother's side."

"What was the toast?" Gibbs asked again. Tony gasped from hearing the question again.

"Boss, I really don't feel comfortable. . .going _there_." DiNozzo said. Gibbs watched as DiNozzo had stuck a finger under his tie and started to loosen it around his neck. DiNozzo looked to Gibbs again, who stood in front of the emergency stop button and his only method of escape. DiNozzo undid his tie completely and the top button on his shirt.

Watching him struggle, Gibbs reached over again and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Settle down." Gibbs said softly. Gibbs watched as sweat was even starting to come down his face.

"Boss. . ." DiNozzo whined.

"Not yet. . .you can't go back into the squad room like this." Gibbs said after seeing his pleading eyes.

"He was just a very controlling man." DiNozzo sighed and started to explain.

"It was more like a roast than a toast. He referred to Wendy as a gold digging cougar. He tore into my father, accusing him of being barely even a part-time father." DiNozzo said, looking to Gibbs who was now waving for DiNozzo to stop. Gibbs remembered Senior's strong response to Gibbs' lecture in the conference room about him needing to spend more time with his son.

"O-kay Tony. . .Tony, you stop. . ." Gibbs interjected, knowing the fragile state that DiNozzo was already in. He could see how much pain DiNozzo was in at the moment, and why he avoided talking about this for so long.

But, DiNozzo still continued to explain how he became his father.

"Tony." Gibbs interjected, placing his hands on each of his cheeks.

"Shhh. . . I want you to stop-now-Anthony DiNozzo." Gibbs interjected again.

"Then he moved on to me directly saying what a disappointment I became when I became a cop. . ."

Gibbs placed his hand over DiNozzo's mouth this time after his repeated efforts failed. "You can stop now, okay?"

"Aw, Tony." Gibbs shook his head. Gibbs could tell those words had been eating away at him for years.

"I want you to block that memory out of your head." Gibbs finally said, who was struggling with what to say to his distraught DiNozzo. He heard DiNozzo laugh awkwardly from the statement. "Your uncle had an agenda. He was obviously saying hurtful things to you to try and break up the wedding."

"He was successful. . .I think he was the cause anyway."

Gibbs became irritated that DiNozzo did not look like he was listening to him, as he shied away from looking at him.

"This needs to stop. You need to get your head on straight." Gibbs said. "And you are not a disappointment for becoming a cop. . . He really said that?"

DiNozzo continued to look down and shrugged in response to his comment.

"I spent the last few days not being the class clown for a change, and everyone was on my case. What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to act?" DiNozzo ranted.

"Tony. . .you hide behind that face of a clown. That is something I said to your father, and he agreed with me." Gibbs shook his head in frustration. "But _**we**_ know when you are putting on an act. We are concerned right now."

"Ziva. . .Ziva said something similar to me, but she said that being the class clown is expected of me." DiNozzo explained, demonstrating his confusion. "I decorated the squad room with confetti, thinking it would take me off of her radar. Instead, I get lectured by Jerry and interrogated by you in your _office_."

"Do you need to be. . .the class clown? Why do you do the things you do?" Gibbs asked.

"A smack to the head and being yelled at by the others for my silly and annoying antics make the other mistakes I have made not seem so bad then."

"Nothing, you have ever done is that bad. Why are you carrying around so much guilt?" Keeping his eyes fixed on DiNozzo, Gibbs began to reach over. DiNozzo braced himself for a head slap. But, instead, Gibbs moved his arm back and released the emergency stop of the elevator, putting it back in motion.

"Thanks Boss." DiNozzo said in relief looking back up as he felt the elevator moving again. Gibbs' treated him with an unreadable stare.

"I want you to go home." Gibbs said, waiting for DiNozzo's reaction.

"What?" DiNozzo asked completely in shock.

"You come back when your head is clear." Gibbs said.

"No Boss, I don't want to take time off." DiNozzo said almost in a panic.

"I am making this an order." Gibbs said.

"Boss." DiNozzo said quickly. Gibbs hit the emergency stop again right before the doors were about to open. DiNozzo groaned.

"What happened between you and Vance, anyway?" Gibbs asked.

"Vance? Nothing. . .nothing happened Boss." DiNozzo said.

"He is the one that suggested to me that you should be benched." Gibbs said.

"He did. . .but he didn't tell you why?" DiNozzo asked.

"He just wanted to know. . .why I was spending so much time here, after work hours." DiNozzo said.

"As in your spending the night. . .?" Gibbs asked.

"You know about that?" DiNozzo asked but continued after feeling Gibbs' intense stare. "Every year, I get all of this. . .stuff. . .from relatives. I get invitations to family dinners, phone calls from family members, and long letters inside the Christmas cards. It is non-stop from like November to January."

"Do you respond?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, I stopped communicating with everyone around the holidays after the wedding didn't happen. I am under constant scrutiny from them anyway."

Gibbs was still surprised by the revelation, despite the fact that he seemed to already know the answer. He made sure that DiNozzo saw his sympathetic eyes before he pushed the emergency stop button.

"All right Tony, you come over and spend the night at my place tonight." Gibbs said. "No excuses, I am keeping my eye on you."

"You are letting me. . .go into the squad room?" DiNozzo asked in surprise as he hesitated to leave the elevator. "I thought I was too much of a distraction."

Gibbs gripped his arm and pulled him along as they entered the squad room. Ziva and McGee watched them both closely as they entered. DiNozzo looked down, avoiding Ziva's strong gazes. DiNozzo started to pick up some of the confetti that was all over.

"DiNozzo?" Gibbs said. DiNozzo jumped and looked to Gibbs.

"Sit." Gibbs said pointing to DiNozzo's chair. DiNozzo obediently headed to his chair, ignoring the mess, throwing away the confetti that he did pick up.

DiNozzo looked back at Gibbs, who was staring down Ziva and McGee in an attempt to get them back to work rather than studying DiNozzo. For the first time, not even one set of eyes were watching him.


	11. tenth

Chapter 10

"You - sit." Gibbs said, as a jittery DiNozzo returned to the living room. DiNozzo obediently sat down on the couch where Gibbs had ordered him to go.

Gibbs walked over to him with a glass of Bourbon. He bent over and placed his hand on DiNozzo's shoulder before handing him the glass.

"Here-drink this-you need it. Relax DiNozzo." Gibbs said before sitting down in front of his television.

"Thanks Boss." DiNozzo said. Gibbs tried to hide the fact that he was watching him more than the television, but then his cell phone rang which interrupted the process.

"Yeah, Gibbs." Gibbs said, eyeing DiNozzo and the drink he still had not sipped.

_"Gibbs, I am concerned about Tony." Ziva said to Gibbs by cellphone. "Look, I know you said to leave him alone, but I went to his apartment to talk to him anyway. . .well he is not here."_

"Yeah he isn't." Gibbs answered, not elaborating.

_"McGee!" Ziva said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"_

_"What are you doing here, Ziva?" McGee said._

Gibbs let out an audible groan and was ready to hang up his phone on Ziva after learning that both of them had ignored his orders.

_"Gibbs, do you know where Tony is? Did you know that Tony's father is staying at his apartment?"_

"Tony is here with me, Ziva." Gibbs said glaring at DiNozzo before ending the phone call.

"Boss?" DiNozzo looked over at an angry Gibbs.

"All three of my agents are trying to deceive me." Gibbs snarled at DiNozzo.

"What?" DiNozzo asked with a nervous laugh trying to read Gibbs.

"That was Ziva and McGee wasn't it?" DiNozzo asked watching for Gibbs' reaction. "And, they are at my apartment aren't they?"

An angry Gibbs remained quiet and let his agent put the pieces together himself.

". . .and they ran into my father." DiNozzo said quickly. "I am sorry, Boss, I can explain."

"Yeah. . . anytime, DiNozzo."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Boss. . .I just left that part out." DiNozzo tried to defend his actions.

"Mmm-hmm." Gibbs snapped.

"He just needed to stay in the D.C. area for a few weeks to work on a business deal. That is all, and there isn't much room in the apartment."

"He can't afford a hotel? He doesn't have to stay at the Adam House every time he is in D.C."

"All of his assets were frozen. . ." DiNozzo said. "Look, it is complicated, but he almost has it all worked out."

"You should be spending time with your father while he is in town." Gibbs said. DiNozzo finally drank from the glass that Gibbs gave him, but instead of a sip he downed the glass bourbon as if it were a shot glass.

"We have been spending time together. We just argue a lot, when we do. I can't live with him. He drives me crazy." DiNozzo said now pacing around the room.

"So, your father will be here for Christmas for a change, then?" Gibbs said almost relieved of the news. Gibbs watched DiNozzo become even more agitated now than before when he was in the elevator.

Gibbs grabbed him by the shoulders and redirected him to the seat in front of the television. In the process, Gibbs managed to snatch DiNozzo's cellphone without him seeing him do so.

**Several hours later**

Gibbs stirred from his sleep as he heard some ruckus coming from the side of his house. Gibbs jumped up from the couch, grabbing his gun in the process. He got down low on the floor and crawled over to the window to try to get a sight of the source of the noise. Then, Gibbs thought he heard someone curse in the process. Gibbs tried to follow the rustling sound, which seemed to continue around his house. Looking out the back windows, he could still not see anything of concern, but the noise that had led him to the back window had also stopped. Gibbs lowered his weapon.

As he did this, he once again could hear a rustling sound, now on the back wall of the house and then he heard a loud thump coming from upstairs. Gibbs once again grabbed his gun and ran up the stairs trying to locate the source of the strange noise. Gibbs stopped dead in his tracks when the noise led him to the room where DiNozzo was sleeping.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs whispered sharply through the door.

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs said again. When Gibbs heard a thump from inside the room, he pushed opened the door, ready to fire his gun at the source.

"Boss!" DiNozzo said horrified. "Whoa"

"DiNozzo! What the h*ll are you doing?" Gibbs yelled also horrified from the sight, as he flipped on the light to confirm what he saw.

"Boss, I am so sorry. I am sorry that I woke you up. I didn't think I would wake you. . . I am so sorry Boss." DiNozzo repeated.

"DiNozzo, get in here now!" Gibbs yelled as he stepped over to pull the rest of DiNozzo's body through the window.

"You are lucky that I didn't shoot you! What have you got against using the front door?" Gibbs asked as DiNozzo was still trying to pull his leg back through the window.

"I am sorry Boss." A frazzled DiNozzo said again as he tried to catch his breath.

"You stop saying that!" Gibbs ordered. Gibbs grabbed DiNozzo's arm hard pulling him to the center of the room. In the process, DiNozzo felt like a soldier being dressed down by a commanding officer. He still had not caught his breath yet, as he tried to determine how mad Gibbs really was. Gibbs could see mud on his shoes and his jeans had been torn from the climb up the house.

As he stepped closer, DiNozzo started to cringe as he saw Gibbs start to raise his hand. Feeling the contact of the harsh head slap, DiNozzo recovered after the impact only to stand still waiting for Gibbs to start lecturing him.

"Explain yourself." Gibbs yelled. DiNozzo tried to look at Gibbs to issue another apology. DiNozzo could sense that Gibbs was holding his hand up in the air above his head ready to give him another head slap.

"I just didn't want to wake you up, Boss. You were sleeping . . .down. . .there - right there by the door." DiNozzo tried to justify. His voice was shaky, as he struggled to speak, while being out of breath.

Gibbs knew that things were just not right with DiNozzo, but he could not contain his anger, worry, and confusion by this odd behavior. It finally occurred to him that DiNozzo still had not caught his breath yet, and his breathing became more labored. Concerned that he may be having a panic attack from getting caught, Gibbs backed off a moment and pushed him to sit down at the edge of the bed. Then, Gibbs walked over and closed the still opened window. As he turned around he caught a grimace on DiNozzo's face.

"All right Tony, take a minute. . .calm yourself down." Gibbs ordered standing over him. He could see the fear and guilt in DiNozzo's eyes. Gibbs turned back around for a moment and reopened the window. DiNozzo watched as Gibbs stuck his head out the window and looked around the backyard.

"Did I break something? I'll pay for any. . .damages or I'll fix it." DiNozzo said now finally catching his breath.

"Stop it." Gibbs growled. "No, you didn't. I just don't know how you managed to climb that."

Although his knees screamed at him for doing this, Gibbs knelt down to get a closer look into DiNozzo's eyes.

"Yeah, . . .it really wasn't easy." DiNozzo said in a lighter tone.

"You were that desperate to get out of here?" Gibbs said.

"I am sor. . ." DiNozzo cut himself off mid-sentence, as he saw Gibbs raise his hand again near his head for a head slap. "I had to take care of something."

"I needed a computer. . .to check some emails. . .and to check some things out." DiNozzo answered.

"Yeah. . .I guess I don't have one here. What was so important at 2am though?" Gibbs asked.

DiNozzo stuttered over his own words trying to come up with a convincing lie.

"Should I check the security cameras at NCIS?" Gibbs comments stopped DiNozzo straight in his tracks. His deer in the headlights expression told Gibbs that his gut was right. Gibbs took his hand and set it on the base of DiNozzo's neck.

". . .you want to tell me what is going on?" Gibbs asked, watching for DiNozzo reaction to the harder question.

"I couldn't sleep, so I just went there to do more paperwork." DiNozzo lied.

"You did it all already." Gibbs said angrily.

"I appreciate your concern, Boss." DiNozzo said trying to distract Gibbs. Gibbs waited for his explanation, but he knew that he would not get it easily. Gibbs gave him another hard smack on the back of the head. After he watched DiNozzo react from the impact, he set his hand on the back of DiNozzo's neck again.

"After you came up here to go to sleep or sneak out . . .whatever, I called your father." Gibbs said. This confession received a surprised reaction from DiNozzo.

"What? Why?" DiNozzo said defensively.

". . .to find out why he is in town." Gibbs said.

"It is just for a business deal." DiNozzo said.

"There is more." Gibbs said, glaring at DiNozzo.

". . .he is pressuring me to get married." DiNozzo admitted. "My mother's side of the family is . . .not helping the situation. They are lashing out at my father again, and so he is lashing out at me."

"Why? Why now?" Gibbs added.

"It started with the Brenda Bittner thing." DiNozzo said with a laugh. "Like McGee, my father and some other family members also saw the comment posted online about me being in a committed relationship." DiNozzo said with an awkward laugh. "Somehow, within hours I had so many messages from family members after that was posted."

"None of this makes sense to me, Tony." Gibbs finally said in response. He looked DiNozzo over.

"They. . .didn't approve a Wendy. . .none of them did, but they don't approve of me being single even more." DiNozzo said. Gibbs cocked his head continuing to watch his agent. "When I told my father that it was just a one-night stand, he went to see her. He was pushing for the relationship."


	12. eleventh

Chapter 11

**Next Morning**

"Are you alright?" Ziva asked Gibbs sitting at his desk. When she had looked to Gibbs, he appeared to be dozing off at his desk.

"Mmm-hmm." Gibbs answered holding his head. Ziva and him then looked over at DiNozzo, who was looking closely at his computer screen. Ziva noticed the suspicious glare that Gibbs was giving DiNozzo now.

"I cannot believe that he actually tried to sneak in and out of your house last night to come _**here**_." Ziva said with a laugh in disbelief. "He does not work. . .during work hours, but he works when we are not here?"

"Mmm-hmm." Gibbs said not really listening to Ziva. "It isn't the first time."

"Any idea-what he was doing here?" Ziva asked. Gibbs shook his head as they continued to stare at DiNozzo, who was completely clueless that he was the center of the discussion.

Ziva could see the concern in his eyes and his frustration from not being in control of the situation. She watched as Gibbs stood up, and he carefully walked toward DiNozzo. He slowly approached from the side, hoping that he could get a sight of DiNozzo's screen, as he came up from DiNozzo's back-right side. DiNozzo realized that Gibbs was behind him when he hit the off button to his computer monitor.

"Boss?" DiNozzo asked nervously.

"Tony." Gibbs said in return just staring at him.

"Ugh, Boss?" DiNozzo asked again. Gibbs nudged his shoulder.

"Come on. . ." Gibbs said. ". . .let's get some coffee."

"No Boss, please. . .no coffee please." DiNozzo protested as he felt Gibbs grab his upper arm and pull him. Before he knew it, DiNozzo was getting into the elevator and riding it downstairs.

"You are the reason that I need coffee." Gibbs said.

"I know. . .I am sorry." DiNozzo said flinching when he realized he used the word again that Gibbs hated.

"Hey." Gibbs whispered. "Shush. . ."

When she saw them both leave, Ziva got up and sat down at DiNozzo's desk.

"Ziva?" McGee questioned his actions.

"After last night, Gibbs is really concerned now, McGee." Ziva explained. "Can you find out what Tony was looking at?"

"So we are doing this for Gibbs then?" McGee questioned before logging onto DiNozzo's computer.

Ziva and McGee were both sitting back at their desks when Gibbs arrived with DiNozzo again. From the second that they returned, Ziva and McGee could not keep their eyes off of DiNozzo, who had sat down. He had a look of defeat in his eyes, and he had trouble looking at Gibbs. Gibbs had passed up the squad room and headed down to see Ducky. McGee eyed Ziva before following him downstairs.

"Soooooooo." Ziva said looking at DiNozzo.

"So?" DiNozzo responded not looking up.

"What did you two talk about?" Ziva asked.

"I got another lecture about communicating better with my father. Then he gave me a pep talk." DiNozzo said in monotone.

"Wendy Miller." Ziva said. DiNozzo froze when hearing her say the name. He looked up at her in confusion.

"Yeah?" DiNozzo said.

"Who is she? Why are you investigating her and trying to track her location?" Ziva said standing up and slowly heading over to his desk.

After her questions were ignored, Ziva headed over to his desk coming up from behind him. She leaned over him coming very close to his face.

"Ziva." DiNozzo warned.

"Who is she Tony?" Ziva asked again.

"She . . .was . . .my fiancée." DiNozzo finally answered.

"Right." Ziva laughed from the comment. DiNozzo gave her a hurt look and did not respond.

"No, she was not." Ziva continued to laugh. DiNozzo started to ignore her for her reaction nearly stung him.

"You are serious?" Ziva asked. "You were engaged? _**You**_ were actually planning to get married?"

"When?" Ziva asked in total shock. "I thought Jeanne Benoit was your first serious relationship."

"We were engaged from 2001 to 2003." DiNozzo reluctantly answered.

". . .while you were here at NCIS?" Ziva asked. "Did Gibbs meet her?"

DiNozzo ignored her and did not answer, not realizing that Gibbs and McGee were also listening in on the conversation now. McGee and Ziva continued to look at DiNozzo suspiciously.

"Why are you investigating her then?" Gibbs said trying to sound casual as he sat back down. Ziva still stood close to DiNozzo.

"Well. . .I was just a. . .I guess I just wanted to know. . .I was just being nosey." DiNozzo tried to answer.

"That wasn't a hard question, Tony." Gibbs said softly, not hiding his concern in front of the others. DiNozzo started to squirm in his chair and nod quickly. Ziva still had not moved.

"Answer my question." Gibbs ordered. The lack of sleep and the time spent trying to get information out of DiNozzo was taking its toll on Gibbs.

DiNozzo's eyes became wide with fear and he nodded as Gibbs stood up and headed toward his desk.

"Why are you looking up information on your ex-fiancee?" Gibbs asked intensely.

"Yeah, I would like to hear the answer to that one too." DiNozzo Sr. said approaching the squad room. He kept his eyes fixed on DiNozzo, who had Gibbs standing over him and Ziva standing next to him. Gibbs could feel the tension between the two, and he could see the way that DiNozzo Sr. was ready to come down on Tony. Senior finally backed off from glaring at Tony and extended his arm for a handshake with Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs." DiNozzo Sr. said with a smile. Gibbs reluctantly extended his arm and shook his hand, finally pulling his eyes away from Tony.

"Ziva. . .hello." DiNozzo Sr. said and then turned. "How are you McGee?"

"Could I borrow, Junior here for just a moment?" He asked. Gibbs nodded, watching Tony who slowly got up from his desk with a pained look on his face. They watched as Tony and his father left the room and got into the elevator.

"What is going on?" Ziva asked with a grin. Gibbs shook his head and returned to his desk.

"Tony didn't look too happy to see him as usual." McGee joked.

"Do you know what is going on, Gibbs?" Ziva asked, as she and Gibbs returned to their desks.

"The Brenda Bittner thing. . ." Gibbs said without providing details.

"Yes." Ziva said.

"Senior was behind that." Gibbs said.

"What? I am confused." Ziva said.

"What does this have to do with Brenda Bittner?" McGee asked completely lost. "Oh, wait, isn't she the one. . ."

"That posted that she was in a committed relationship with Tony." Ziva added. "Tony was only interested in a one-night stand. Wait, how exactly is Senior involved?"

"He is playing cupid." Gibbs said. Gibbs stood up and headed for the elevator. When Gibbs got downstairs, he witnessed part of the screaming match between Junior and Senior. Gibbs watched as DiNozzo bolted out the door of the building without a coat.

"Hey" Gibbs shouted, grabbing Senior's arm.

"Gibbs." Senior said in surprise, stopping him from following his son.

"You are pushing him too hard." Gibbs said.

"I know my son." Senior said defensively.

"Do you?" Gibbs responded. "Why is he so upset?"

"I need to go Gibbs. I'll miss my flight." Senior responded. He headed for the door nearly running into Trent Kort, who now entered the building. Gibbs groaned.

"Ah, it is nice to see you too Gibbs." Trent Kort said with a grin. "Tell me, are the DiNozzos on better speaking terms these days."

Gibbs was taken off guard by the question, realizing that Trent Kort had nearly run into DiNozzo Sr. on the way in.

"The DiNozzos?" Gibbs started to ask.

"That was Anthony DiNozzo, Sr. walking out the door." Trent Kort said. "Well, once upon a time. . .

"Vance isn't available." Gibbs said turning around. "I don't have time for this Kort."

"Really? I came to see you too, Gibbs." Trent Kort said. Gibbs turned around.

"Mr. DiNozzo Senior there is actually the person responsible for blowing his son's cover a few years back." Trent Kort said.

"What are you talking about?" Gibbs asked.

"I was instructed to investigate the man named, Tony DiNardo, who was sleeping around with La Grenouille's daughter. During that process I caught a private investigator snapping pictures of the two together wherever they were together and even in bed. After cornering this P.I., I learned that DiNozzo Senior had hired the private investigator to follow his son-real name-Tony DiNozzo and his new steady girlfriend around." Trent Kort said.

Up until this point Gibbs had dismissed most of the ideas coming from Kort's mouth, but now he was interested with the recent dramas between Junior and Senior. Gibbs glared at him.

"DiNozzo Senior is quite a father to have to hire a P.I. to investigate who his son is dating. Well, I simply paid the P.I. for a copy of those pictures."

"Oh really?" DiNozzo yelled. Gibbs grabbed DiNozzo and pushed him away from Kort.

"Go upstairs." Gibbs ordered.

"You're talking about me." DiNozzo said. "This sleazy son of a. . ."

"Go upstairs now, DiNozzo." Gibbs interjected yelling orders at DiNozzo.

"Your people, Gibbs. . ." Kort started.

"My people. . .you stay away from my people." Gibbs said. "You knew that he was standing there listening."

"You will be learning some incriminating details about your SecNav and your Director Vance soon." Kort added. "There are some over-seas murders that you need to look into Gibbs."

"Get out of here, Kort." Gibbs yelled.

"There are some things stored in the SecNav's closet that are about to come out, Gibbs." Kort said. "You'll find that all out on your own soon."

Kort said not providing details as he headed out the door, leaving Gibbs completely bewildered. Gibbs returned to the squad room only to learn that DiNozzo had not returned.

"Where is he?" Gibbs asked McGee.

"Well, he has to be here in the building." McGee said looking to a confused Ziva.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and headed out of the squad room.

One hour later

DiNozzo glanced behind himself to see Gibbs standing there.

"I really did not think you would find me up here Boss." DiNozzo said.

"Yeah. . .well I did." Gibbs said approaching him looking over the edge of the building with DiNozzo.

"What are you doing up here on the roof, Tony?" Gibbs asked.

". . .without a coat on." Gibbs added harshly in his fatherly tone.

"I needed to cool off." DiNozzo defended himself.

"Kort knew you were standing there. He was just messing with your head." Gibbs said.

"I know." DiNozzo said.

"Let's get back to the squad room then Tony." Gibbs said.

"No, I mean I know about the P.I. It wasn't the first time my father did that." DiNozzo said.

DiNozzo turned to look at a surprised Gibbs. The two stood there for a moment.

"What did you father want?" Gibbs asked, avoiding the P.I. discussion.

"My dad and I were not speaking at the time, so he hired her to follow me." DiNozzo said, realizing that Gibbs already knew that.

"Oh, he wanted to tell me that his deal worked out, and that he would be flying back to D.C." DiNozzo answered.

"His deal?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, I still don't know what happened. He wouldn't tell me why his assets were frozen. He never told me what he was working on." DiNozzo said.

"What else, Tony?" Gibbs asked. "He said something that hurt you."

"He lectured me about how I need to repair relationships with some family members. . . and to stay away from Wendy." DiNozzo said.

"You ignore that part." Gibbs ordered. DiNozzo laughed softly.

"I can't." DiNozzo said. "You want me to end the one-night stands. Well, so does my father."


	13. twelth

_**Chapter 12**_

End of May 2011

"Are we good again, Boss?" DiNozzo asked.

"We have always been good, DiNozzo." Gibbs said not looking up from his desk.

_**Flashback 8.21 Dead Reflection**_

_"Sleeping with Barret's a bad idea." Gibbs said.  
__**"**__No offense. My personal life is my business." DiNozzo said.  
"It's gonna affect your work." Gibbs said.  
__**"**__No, it won't." DiNozzo said.  
"It already has." Gibbs shot back.  
__**"**__I know what you're thinking. That I've lost focus. That I've taken my eye off the ball." DiNozzo said carefully.  
"I depend on you." Gibbs responded._

"Really?" DiNozzo asked.

"Mmm-hmm." Gibbs responded, still not looking up. "Get back to work, DiNozzo."

"Yes, Boss." DiNozzo said returning to his desk to write up his report now that the Port-to-Port killer was no longer a threat. Once he returned to his desk, he instantly got up again.

"Boss." DiNozzo said.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs said sharply finally looking up. "You are not going home until that report is done."

"I know, Boss. I am on it." DiNozzo said.

"No you're not." Gibbs snarled, glaring at him.

"I'll get back to it. . .but Boss?" DiNozzo started.

"What DiNozzo!?" Gibbs snapped.

"Could you sign this?" DiNozzo said nervously, as he handed the form over to Gibbs.

Gibbs looked at him and the form suspiciously. He glanced at the form quickly before looking up at DiNozzo. With DiNozzo's behavior, Gibbs thought at first that DiNozzo was handing him a resignation letter or a document saying that he accepted the Rota, Spain post after all. To his surprise, Gibbs was looking at a vacation request.

"Three weeks in June?" Gibbs asked in shock, realizing that DiNozzo had never requested that long of a vacation before. DiNozzo started to rock nervously back and forth on his heals not looking up at Gibbs.

DiNozzo turned around to see that a shocked McGee was listening in now.

"Is that. . .is that a problem, Boss?" DiNozzo asked. Gibbs reluctantly handed him the signed form looking him over closely.

"Thanks Boss." DiNozzo said before walking back over to his desk to type the report. After a few minutes of typing, DiNozzo realized that he was being watched by both of them. He let out a nervous laugh and looked to McGee. McGee just smiled back.

"So where will you be vacationing to then?" McGee asked with a smile.

"Somewhere with a beach. . .maybe Kiawah Island." DiNozzo looked up at the ceiling. McGee shook his head looking slightly disgusted with DiNozzo. Gibbs was still watching him closely, as if he could read his mind now.

**4 Weeks later**

"Where is he. . .where is DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked looking to Ziva and McGee.

"He is only a few days late. . ." McGee tried to defend DiNozzo.

"Only a few _**days**_?" Gibbs repeated. "He has been off for three weeks."

"Maybe his flight was cancelled or rerouted. Let me see, if I can find out where he is. . ." McGee responded to Gibbs by rambling off some ideas for locating DiNozzo.

"Ugh. . .I think he flew into Kiawah Island yesterday." McGee said working his computer magic. "Yeah, he flew in yesterday."

"Gibbs." Vance said entering the squad room. "If you are trying to find Agent DiNozzo, he won't be back for a few more days."

"He has been gone almost a month now." Gibbs shouted.

"He is using up all of that overtime." Vance added.

"Did you speak to him?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes." Vance lied.

"He knows to come to me." Gibbs said.

"Drop it, Agent Gibbs." Vance said. Gibbs was now suspicious of DiNozzo's long time off. Once Vance left the squad room, Gibbs turned to McGee.

"If I find out that he was on that Island with Barrett . . ." Gibbs mumbled sitting back down at his desk.

**September 2011**

"Are we still good, Boss?" DiNozzo said nervously to Gibbs, who was leaning against the wall in DiNozzo's hospital room.

"We will talk when you are out of the hospital, DiNozzo." Gibbs said looking away.

"Boss?" DiNozzo asked.

"Get some rest." Gibbs said starting to walk out of the room.

"Boss?" DiNozzo said again. Gibbs froze and shut the door. He turned around to face him.

"Why did you do it?" Gibbs asked angrily.

"I was asked." DiNozzo said.

"You should have said no." Gibbs reminded him.

"I don't say _**no**_ to you." DiNozzo regretted the statement as soon as it left his mouth. After a long hesitation and knowing that Gibbs wanted answers, DiNozzo tried again.

"I just needed sometime away."

"From what!?" Gibbs snapped at him. DiNozzo looked away from Gibbs unable to answer Gibbs.

"My father has been on my case since December. Then I had this relationship with E.J. that didn't end so well. We had a rocky couple of months. You probably needed a break from me. I caused you. . .you to get angry with me. And, I needed an opportunity to rely on my own skills. . .and make my own decisions." DiNozzo rambled and scrambled to spit off excuses to Gibbs.

"Well, you have part of that right." Gibbs said. "I am angry."

DiNozzo stomach dropped from the statement.

". . .angry at your father. Your involvement with E.J. _**was**_ a mistake. Normally, you would have seen who she was, and you ignored my repeated warnings."

DiNozzo nodded in agreement, but he could not look up and face Gibbs.

"This mission was beyond what any one person could do alone. You don't need to test your own skills on something like this, Tony." Gibbs continued to lecture him.

"I want you to contact Wendy." Gibbs said.

"I know. . .not after what happened to E.J, though." DiNozzo admitted.

"We will finish _**this. . .**_ when you are out of the hospital." Gibbs restated before exiting.

**February 15, 2012 (immediately following episode 9.15 Secrets)**

"So. . ." Gibbs said looking over to DiNozzo as they rode up in the elevator.

"So. . ." DiNozzo said softly.

"Do you have a date?" Gibbs asked with a grin.

When he did not hear an answer, Gibbs looked over at DiNozzo, who was holding his stomach and looking pale.

"Tony. . .you all right?" Gibbs asked. Gibbs then turned to look at what floor they were on.

"We are almost there. . .just hold on a minute." Gibbs said, seeing the warning signs. The elevator doors opened and DiNozzo bolted for the bathroom. Gibbs slowly followed shaking his head. When Gibbs reached the bathroom, he could hear DiNozzo vomiting.

DiNozzo finally joined Gibbs who was standing by the sink.

"Tony?" Gibbs said.

"I am sorry, Boss." DiNozzo said now hanging over the sink breathing heavily.

"What was that about?" Gibbs asked.

"Did you try to eat breakfast?" Gibbs asked. DiNozzo nodded.

"What did you eat?" Gibbs asked sarcastically.

"Oatmeal." DiNozzo said.

"Not pizza?" Gibbs said in surprise.

DiNozzo turned around and leaned against the sink, unable to look Gibbs in the eyes.

"You're still pensive. Why?" Gibbs asked bluntly.

"Why!?" DiNozzo shouted. DiNozzo jumped back from yelling at Gibbs.

"I am sorry, Boss."

"All right Tony . . .what is on your mind?" Gibbs asked no longer hiding his concern.

"I have an upset stomach, and I thought the oatmeal would be safe." DiNozzo said.

"That isn't what I mean." Gibbs said.

"I don't know. . .I am confused." DiNozzo responded.

"About?" Gibbs asked. DiNozzo grabbed his stomach again and leaned over.

"Do we have to keep talking about her?" DiNozzo said turning to look at Gibbs.

DiNozzo sighed and stood back up to face Gibbs.

"I don't know what I ever saw in her." DiNozzo said.

"Tony." Gibbs whispered. DiNozzo grabbed his stomach again. After a long silence, DiNozzo tried to turn and face Gibbs again.

"We haven't seen each other in 9 1/2 years, and now she wants to try again."

"Well, she feels you're worth it. . .even if you don't feel you are." Gibbs said.

DiNozzo smiled and gave an awkward laugh from the comment. He headed for the door, but his path was than blocked by Gibbs.

"Boss?" DiNozzo whined in a frustrated tone. "I am on speaking terms with my father again. When I was engaged to Wendy, I wasn't."

"You stop running away from this." Gibbs ordered.

"Do you want me to date Wendy or have a relationship with my father?" DiNozzo asked.

"You need both." Gibbs shot back. "You told me at Christmas time, that you were ready. You deal with this problem. Stop running away from it."

"I said that? It was a moment of weakness. I know it can't happen." DiNozzo responded sadly.

". . .Make it happen." Gibbs said. He watched as his pep talk for DiNozzo was falling flat.

"Being a player works though. . .I am in control of the situation, and I am the decision maker. . . .Even if they are bad decisions." DiNozzo responded. "It doesn't involve fighting off family members or defending a fiancée who is being attacked unfairly by overly judgmental and arrogant relatives."

"I am not late to work. . .that often." DiNozzo added.

"You said you are ready. She says she is ready." Gibbs added. DiNozzo laughed from the comment and turned away from Gibbs. After a long silence, DiNozzo turned around to face him.

"This was a full-time job when I started at NCIS. It was an interference. Those were your words to me. Therefore, I would have to resign as you senior field agent, and I still don't think it will work anyway." DiNozzo tried again.

"Is there anything you won't say? Is there anything you won't use as an excuse?" Gibbs argued. "Stop running away from _this_. No more being a player."

"I know, Boss." DiNozzo whispered, turning away. "I think. . .I think _**it **_would be difficult . . .with anyone not just Wendy."

"Ya think, DiNozzo?" Gibbs said bluntly. DiNozzo looked to him in surprise of the comment. Gibbs could see the hurt in his eyes from the comment.

"Stop letting your father and whoever else is involved . . .manipulate you." Gibbs ordered. DiNozzo looked to him in shock of his statement. He tried to process his comments. Once again, he looked down at the floor. Gibbs came closer but DiNozzo could not look at him again. They stood there in the middle of the bathroom for a while. Gibbs let him process the comments, looking down to the floor with a sad, confused, expression on his face.

"You're going to be accused of being "pensive" again by your co-workers, Tony. Clear your head." Gibbs tried to lighten the mood. As a lost DiNozzo continued to process the conversation, Gibbs turned and held the door open.

"Time to go." Gibbs said gently. As soon as DiNozzo realized that Gibbs had said something, his head snapped forward, and he was ready to go through the door with Gibbs.

**End of May 2012**

_**Recap of the last two minutes of S9's finale "Till Death Do Us Part"**_

Gibbs left_Jonathan Cole in Vance's car with the bomb. Although Cole tried to dismantle it, it immediately went off once Gibbs reached Abby's lab. Gibbs and Abby fell to the floor. Gibbs was sheltering her body from most of the blast. McGee felt the full force of the blast in the squad room with glass flying directly into his face. He had been backing up all the files on Harper Dearing. Vance went up to his office at the same time McGee was saving the files. DiNozzo and Ziva were taking the elevator down after helping people evacuate the building. The elevator shook violently. Ziva fell on top of DiNozzo. In the process of the fall, he hit his head on the elevator door and debris started to fall inside the elevator. With the closing out of the episode, Ducky receives the phone call about all that had happened and collapses from an apparent heart attack._

"Careful, Abs." Gibbs said pulling her through the broken window outside to safety. Abby allowed herself to be pulled up by Gibbs. They now stood outside with all the other survivors. Vance's car had been destroyed with a fire still burning. The building showed signs of complete destruction from their view.

Abby was visibly shaken from the whole event and the chaos outside. Sirens were blaring and the building seemed to still be shifting after the blast. People were still evacuating from the building through windows and unblocked doors.

"Dorneget" Gibbs shouted. Dorneget ran over to see them.

"Agent Gibbs, Abby. . .are you all right?" He asked.

"Where is the rest of my team?" Gibbs asked.

"I don't know. They aren't out here. I haven't seen McGee and Director Vance, since I was up in your squad room." Dorneget said. "And, Tony and Ziva were helping to initiate the evacuation, so they are still in the building as well."

**Inside the Elevator**

The elevator was no longer moving, after it plummeted to the very bottom of the elevator shaft. Debris continued to fall through the ceiling on top of them. Ziva sat in silence as DiNozzo still had not regained consciousness since he hit his head in the initial fall. Ziva had managed to get one call out to 911, but her attempts to call Gibbs and McGee had failed. Both of their cell phones said no service available.

"ah ugh ouuuuuuch!" DiNozzo finally said, as he tried to sit up from his uncomfortable position.

"Tony!" Ziva said strongly, grateful that he was awake. He started to cough heavily.

"Are you all right?" He asked when the coughing had finally subsided.

"Yes. . .I was able to call out. They know that we are trapped in here." Ziva responded. She watched as DiNozzo placed his hand carefully on the side of his head. When he pulled his hand away, they both saw the blood on his fingers.

**Outside the building**

"Oh my God, McGee. . . my sweet McGee." Abby screamed as she saw him being brought out on a stretcher. "McGee, is that you?"

Gibbs and Abby ran over to the stretcher. McGee sat up to look at them, but his face was covered in bandages.

"We need to take him to the hospital." The EMT said. "He got thrown back from the blast. He might have a concussion and his face was covered in broken class."

"Gibbs, can I go with him?" Abby asked.

"Yeah. . .take care of yourself, Tim." Gibbs said gently in shock of the sight. "I'll get to the hospital, as soon as I know that everyone is out of the building." Gibbs gave him a pat on the shoulder and grimaced at the sight of his face being wrapped in bandages.

"Where are Tony and Ziva?" McGee asked.

"They are still trapped in the building." Abby said. "So is Director Vance."

"No, no Director Vance is fine. He actually. . .he helped me and made sure that I EMT's took me."

"I heard that most of the stairwell is now also blocked." McGee tried to explain but was suddenly out of breath. "The building is destroyed."

"You go, Tim." Gibbs ordered, as he watched McGee struggle to speak. "Go ahead Abs, you should get checked out too."

**Inside the Elevator**

"Whoa. . .that was a bad one." DiNozzo said as the elevator shook. "Have we fallen the whole way yet?"

"I would rather not think about that." Ziva said. "I think that is just debris falling down the shaft."

"Well, maybe we should be trying to get out. . .you know crawl out of the top." DiNozzo said trying to stand up. He quickly lost his balance and had to sit back down.

"Tony. . .you probably have a concussion." Ziva said watching him fall to the ground.

"Aw not again. . ." DiNozzo whined.

"You at least cracked your head open there." Ziva said pointing to DiNozzo's bleeding head.

"Yeah. . .of course you were able to say that one right." DiNozzo joked.

"Should we be trying to open those doors, then?" DiNozzo asked.

"They know we are in here Tony." Ziva responded.

"Tony?" Ziva said.

"Ziva?" DiNozzo said sarcastically.

"Why did you not want to leave the building?" She asked. "I had to force you into this elevator."

"Yes, and I am so glad that you did." DiNozzo said sarcastically. "Just kidding. . .no I appreciate your concern."

"Gibbs wanted us to get out as soon as the hallway was clear, but you were . . ."

". . .going to make sure that McGee and Gibbs were not still in the squad room. We don't know, if they got out Ziva. And, you said yourself that you could not call their cellphones."

"I will try Gibbs again." Ziva said. "I have no signal. How about yours?"

DiNozzo reached into his pocket and out his cellphone with his one free hand, while keeping his handkerchief on his head.

"Tony? Did you know that you have four missed calls from Wendy?" Ziva asked in surprise. "She called you four times just within the last hour."

"Yeah. . .do I have signal? Can you call Gibbs?" DiNozzo asked.

"It is ringing." Ziva said, unsure if Gibbs even had his phone.

"Tony. . ." Gibbs answered.

"Gibbs. Are you all right? Is everyone else all right?" Ziva asked.

**Hospital - several hours later**

"Wow, McGee. . .that sucks." DiNozzo said. He was leaning across the bed lifting up a piece of McGee's bandage.

"Tony . . .stop." McGee yelled.

"Sorry." Tony said, pulling his hand away. "It just really looks like it hurts, Timmy."

"It does." McGee snapped.

"Does your . . .head hurt too?" McGee asked in concern. DiNozzo shook his head.

"Well, I am more interested in knowing why Wendy keeps calling you." Ziva asked curiously.

"Yeah." DiNozzo said nervously as DiNozzo's phone started to ring again. "Excuse me." He said as he exited the room.

Ziva looked at McGee with a curious smirk.

"Should I listen in?" She asked before getting an answer from McGee.

"All right, I'll see ya later." DiNozzo said before hanging up. He quickly turned to see Ziva staring at him listening in.

"Ziva?" He said in a warning tone before reentering McGee's room.

"Tony." She said. "You have a date with Wendy."

"So Tim, when are they letting you out of here?" DiNozzo quickly tried to change the subject.

"Oh, I think I am going home tomorrow." He answered.

"Gibbs is talking to your dad and sister right now." DiNozzo said.

"What. . .my dad?" McGee said. "He is here."

"Yeah, nice guy. I just talked to him a little while ago." DiNozzo said.

"Ugh." McGee answered.

"What?" DiNozzo asked. McGee looked away.

"Tony. . .what is the deal with you and Wendy?" Ziva butted in again. DiNozzo sighed and rolled his eyes.

"We have been dating. . .for a while. We are moving slow. My dad . . .doesn't know."

"Is that the reason that you have been late to work all week?" Ziva asked with a laugh.

"She lives in Baltimore. . .it is a drive." DiNozzo said defensively.

"What is Gibbs saying to my dad?" McGee said, ready to get up and leave the room.

"Whoa! Mc-Antsy I'll go see." DiNozzo said. As he left the room, McGee and Ziva shared a cute exchange over DiNozzo and Wendy being back together.

"Your father is arguing with Gibbs right now. Did you father not support the idea of your becoming an NCIS agent?" DiNozzo asked.

"Tony. . .how could you hear all of that?" Ziva asked in shock. McGee could not hide his shock as well.

"No, well. . .I am kind of used to that. . .I mean. . ." DiNozzo said that regretted his statment.

"Your father is against your being a. . .?" Ziva started to ask.

"Cop. . .not really him per say, but my mother's side of the family strongly opposes it."

"Really?" Ziva asked. DiNozzo nodded. DiNozzo looked to McGee understanding his pain.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading, for your feedback, and for the alerts!


	14. thirteenth

Chapter 13

**1 Month later**

"Is it not amazing how quickly this building was rebuilt, McGee?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah. . .wish my face was able to rebuild that quickly." McGee said.

"Aw McGee. . .you look fine. I am sorry though that you got hurt so bad." She said in concern. They exited the elevator and entered the newly remodeled and repainted squad room.

"I wonder when Ducky. . .will finally get to come in and see it since his. . ." She added filled with sadness in her tone.

"Good Morning Gibbs." Ziva said going to her desk.

"Morning Ziva. Good Morning Tim." Gibbs said, treating McGee with another sympathetic look.

"Okay. . .where is that Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo?" Gibbs said standing up and looking to the elevator. McGee and Ziva grinned before sitting down.

"He does not take the elevator anymore, Gibbs. . . after we got stuck in it during the explosion." Ziva said teasingly.

"Harper Dearing." Gibbs said, looking to them both. "We need to find him."

"All the agencies are looking for him Boss. We might have a new lead though. . . The Intel says he might be hiding in Nevis."

"Mmm-hmm, did not Tony mention he knew of that place before? His father liked doing business deals there."

"Good." Gibbs said leaving the room.

"Where is Tony?" Ziva snarled at McGee. McGee shook his head back and forth.

"Gibbs is getting mad about this Wendy thing." Ziva added.

"He wasn't at first. . .which was. . ." McGee said.

". . .weird." Ziva interjected. McGee nodded.

"Gibbs." Vance yelled down from his office, when he saw Gibbs walk by.

Gibbs walked up to join Vance in his office. Vance let Gibbs enter and he pulled the door closed.

"I have some _news_." Vance said. ". . .concerning DiNozzo." Gibbs looked to him in surprise.

"DiNozzo can't come in today. He will be out all week." Vance said.

"Why?" Gibbs said. "You know. . .don't you?"

"He is at the hospital right now." Vance said, immediately regretting the statement. He was treated with Gibbs-the-interrogator's eyes burning through him.

"He has a family member in the hospital." Vance finally offered.

"You know more. . .don't you?" Gibbs asked curiously.

"He said this was a private matter." Vance added. "I said I would keep it private."

"Yeah? Who?" Gibbs asked.

**Hospital**

"Just go around the corner, Agent Gibbs." The nurse said.

Gibbs came around the corner as he approached DiNozzo Senior's room. As he approached, he could hear a man yelling.

"Are you still defending your choice of becoming a police officer!?" A man yelled. Gibbs came up on the back of DiNozzo and an older man yelling at him. The man stormed off. DiNozzo stood outside his father's room looking very lost.

"Tony?" Gibbs said softly. DiNozzo jumped at the sound of Gibbs' voice.

"Boss, I wasn't expecting you." DiNozzo said. "I guess I am late for work again."

"Are you all right?" Gibbs asked placing his hand on his shoulder. DiNozzo slowly shook his head and turned away.

"My father was shot. I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet." DiNozzo started to say. Gibbs kept quiet, letting DiNozzo say everything that he needed to say.

"So how was Ducky, when you saw him yesterday?" DiNozzo asked.

"He is recovering quickly. He is in much better spirits now. . ." Gibbs offered. "Why don't you go see him yourself?"

DiNozzo nodded in agreement.

"Tony?" Gibbs said gently. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"Ugh. . .well. . ." DiNozzo smiled nervously looking to Gibbs.

"I was taking a shower. I was already running behind this morning, as usual." DiNozzo added looking to Gibbs wishing he could just read his mind like usual, so DiNozzo would not have to elaborate.

"Go on. . .I'm listening." Gibbs said gently.

"While I was in the shower, my father -who decided to just _**show up**_ in town and stay at my place again-was keying the door." DiNozzo said with a nervous laugh.

"And?" Gibbs prompted him to continue again.

"Well, the reason I was scrambling to get ready for work. . .again. Wendy had spent the night at my place. She was the one who heard someone trying to get in the door. She yelled for me to get out of the shower. . ." DiNozzo explained but then he hesitated. Gibbs could see that he was rattled from the situation.

"Wendy knows everything about Dearing. She knew immediately when NCIS was hit. She was the first reporter on the scene. And, she just feared the worst, when someone was trying to get into the door, knowing that Dearing still had not been caught." DiNozzo tried to defend her actions to himself as well as Gibbs.

"She didn't know it was my father, Boss." DiNozzo said. "And, I wasn't expecting my father. He hasn't talked to me in weeks."

"Tony?" Gibbs asked, knowing where the story was going but needing DiNozzo to say the words.

"She grabbed my gun. . ." DiNozzo added hesitating again.

". . .which I unfortunately had just set on the bed because I was in such a hurry."

"Wendy?" Gibbs prompted him to continue.

"Wendy shot him." DiNozzo finally admitted. "Wendy shot my father, when he came through the door."

"They arrested her?" Gibbs asked. Gibbs looked him over. He could see the pain he was in. He could see the internal struggles he was having with this situation, but at the same time, Gibbs could not even grasp what Tony had to be going through at the moment.

"Yeah. . .and now all of these _**family**_ members are showing up." DiNozzo groaned as he pointed toward the uncle that had been yelling at him when Gibbs first approached.

"Did you _**see**_ it happen?" Gibbs asked.

"I wasn't quick enough." DiNozzo said sadly. "I slipped on my way out of the bathroom, when I heard the gunshot. I just didn't make it in time."

"They won't let me talk to Wendy. . .and my father still hasn't woken up." DiNozzo explained.

"How bad?" Gibbs asked.

"He got hit in the shoulder." DiNozzo answered. "It's a flesh wound."

"I keep getting lectured about becoming a cop and about dating Wendy again." DiNozzo said emotionally.

"You did nothing wrong." Gibbs said.

"He was shot. . .with my gun." DiNozzo pointed out.

"Hey." Gibbs said patting him on the cheek. "Settle down. He will be fine."

"It wasn't Wendy's fault, Boss. She didn't know that he had a key." DiNozzo defended her. Gibbs nodded.

"But, you didn't see any of this happen?" Gibbs asked again.

"Her word against his. . ." DiNozzo said almost in tears.

"Did your father know that you were dating her again?" Gibbs asked. "Did you tell him?"

"No. . .nobody in the family knew." DiNozzo said. "That is why I keep getting lectured. It is like we are engaged all over again."

"Your father didn't like her either." Gibbs suggested.

"No he didn't." DiNozzo said, stopping and turning to Gibbs. "Wait, you don't think he would lie about this? Would he?" Gibbs could see him starting to panic.

"Tony. . .shhh, settle down." Gibbs said.

"I would trust what you saw, but if you didn't see anything. . ." Gibbs said.

"No, I didn't Boss." DiNozzo said, looking worried. "Listen Boss, I am going to need to take some time off of work."

"I know." Gibbs said.

"I mean longer than a week, like I told Vance." DiNozzo said.

"All right." Gibbs said. "I understand."

"I think I should go back with him to New York. . . for a while." DiNozzo added. Gibbs nodded, trying to be supportive of that decision but not liking the idea, especially when Gibbs needed him right now to help catch Harper Dearing.

"Are you sure you want to?" Gibbs asked, thinking of the situation that Tony would be putting himself into with his family.

"I have to. I don't have a choice, Boss." DiNozzo said. "I am sorry."

"You have a choice." Gibbs responded.

"The thing is. . .I don't know, if I can be a cop anymore after this." DiNozzo said.

"Tony. . ." Gibbs responded in disbelief.

"This is my fault." DiNozzo said.

"No. . ." Gibbs quickly said.

"I am the reason that there was gun. I am the reason that Wendy was scared and feared that a killer was at the door. If it wasn't for my shaky relationship with my father, he wouldn't be suddenly showing up at my door giving no notice."

"Your father keyed that door without telling you beforehand that he was coming. Why didn't he just knock to begin with?" Gibbs asked.

"He lived with me, Boss. He knew I would already be at work-normally. Normally, if Wendy wasn't there, I would have already been on the road." DiNozzo said.

"Tony, he should have knocked. I want to talk to your father when he wakes up." Gibbs offered.

"No, Boss. . .please don't get involved." DiNozzo pleaded.

"I am not letting you end your career this way." Gibbs shot back.

"Whoa, oh God. . ." DiNozzo said when a woman entered the corridor near DiNozzo Senior's room. DiNozzo quickly turned around, hiding himself. After seeing DiNozzo's reaction, Gibbs pushed him around the corner.

"Who is that?" Gibbs asked softly seeing the fear in DiNozzo's eyes.

"Another relative." DiNozzo said painfully. Under normal circumstances, Gibbs would have demanded a better explanation as to why DiNozzo just hid himself from a relative.

"All right." Gibbs said patting him on the shoulder.

"Boss, thanks for listening. . .but I know you can't stay here. . . not with Dearing still out there." DiNozzo said.

"All right, Tony. . .but you don't quit until your father says what really happened. Even then, I want to talk to him." Gibbs said. DiNozzo nodded. "And, then I want to talk to you first before you make any decisions like that."

**One Week later**

"Gibbs." Ziva said, as she watched him enter the squad room.

"Good work, both of you." Gibbs said.

"We caught Dearing." Gibbs said with a long hesitation. "Why don't you two go home?"

"Have you heard anything from Tony?" Ziva asked quickly, as if she knew what Gibbs was thinking. "He has not returned my phone calls."

"He. . ." Gibbs started to say then stopped.

"Come on Gibbs. What is going on?" She snapped. ". . .I am sorry." McGee stood up and joined her by Gibbs' desk.

"He is in New York, taking care of his father." Gibbs said.

"And?" She asked.

"His father told the police that Wendy did _**not**_ mean to shoot him." Gibbs said.

"What?" McGee questioned.

"Mr. DiNozzo told the police that he keyed his son's door, without announcing himself. When he opened the door, he watched Wendy come in the room visibly shaking. Despite the fact that she saw it was him, she accidently shot the gun at him anyway."

"So?" McGee prompted for him to continue.

"So Tony will be taking care of his Dad for a few more weeks, and then. . .he will decide if he is coming back. Wendy said he isn't talking to her. No charges were filed against her." Gibbs added.

"And?" McGee prompted him again, causing Gibbs to look at him with an irritated glare.

"And, if I have to, I will go to New York and get him myself." Gibbs added. McGee grinned before he left with Ziva.


	15. fourteenth

Chapter 14

**New York**

The doorbell rang at an estate in New York.

An older woman came to the door. Gibbs quickly recognized her as the woman that Tony tried to hide from when they were at the hospital.

"Yes?" She said in a snobbish tone.

"I am here to see _**Agent**_ DiNozzo." Gibbs said holding up his NCIS badge.

"Ohhhh, all right. Do you have a gun too?" She said. He nodded, glaring at her.

"Well, I will ask that you not use it in here." She said. Gibbs grinned and raised his eyebrow, waiting for her to either let him in or to get Tony.

"Come on in. . ." She finally snarled. "I have seen enough police officers lately. I thought that was finally over."

"Do you have something against law enforcement officers that risk their lives for your safety?" He asked. She glared at him.

"Boss!?" DiNozzo passed by and stopped when he heard his voice.

"Anthony." The old woman said snobbishly, as he entered the room.

"Ugh Boss." DiNozzo smiled and let out an awkward laugh.

DiNozzo shielded him from the old woman, as he pulled him into the nearby dining room. As he did this, DiNozzo closed the doors in the process.

"Boss." DiNozzo said, with a grateful but also nervous smile.

"Tony" Gibbs said with a grin. DiNozzo was now feeling uncomfortable with the way he had just grabbed and pulled Gibbs into the room. The shocking part to DiNozzo was the fact that Gibbs let him do it.

"I am sorry about that Boss." DiNozzo said. Gibbs smiled, nodded, and looked him over.

"Are you doing all right?" Gibbs asked. DiNozzo nodded.

"Yeah, I think he will be fine."

"You rushed him out of D.C. so quickly that I never talked to him." Gibbs said.

"I know." DiNozzo responded.

"I told you that I wanted to talk to him." Gibbs reminded him.

"I know, but everything did work out. The charges were dropped." DiNozzo said.

"You ended all contact with Wendy-why?" Gibbs asked.

"I was just waiting. . .for everything to sort of blow over. You know, . . .like when my father was better." DiNozzo said looking away. "I will."

"It was the _**truth**_ right?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah." DiNozzo said quickly, unsure of Gibbs' thoughts.

"He isn't manipulating you? He didn't say that to the police. . .and then order you to break up with her in return."

"No!" DiNozzo shouted in surprise.

"Tony?" Gibbs said.

"We had a long . . .discussion." DiNozzo said.

"And?" Gibbs asked. "He did this in exchange for. . .?"

DiNozzo shook his head and looked away. Gibbs closed the gap between them.

"He just. . .he did. . .he did push for me to move back to New York." DiNozzo said. "It was a little push."

"Which is away from Wendy and away from being a cop, Tony?" Gibbs said. DiNozzo nodded.

"He manipulated you then?" Gibbs suggested.

"He just asked." DiNozzo quickly defended him.

"So he is laying a guilt trip on you?" Gibbs added. "You did nothing wrong."

"No. . .Boss" DiNozzo said. "Please don't."

"I want to see him?" Gibbs said. DiNozzo nodded.

**DiNozzo Senior's bedroom**

DiNozzo knocked on the door and entered with Gibbs just behind him.

"Hey Dad?" DiNozzo said. "Are you up for a visitor?"

"Sure." DiNozzo Senior said, realizing that Gibbs was standing behind him.

"Ah, Gibbs. . .how long will you be in New York?" He asked. "I still owe you for letting me stay with you in D.C. for Thanksgiving."

"Not long." Gibbs said shaking his hand with a brief smile. "Can we have a quick chat?"

"Sure." Senior said turning off the television, as he still laid in the bed.

"Tony." Gibbs said looking to him. "Give us a minute." DiNozzo looked to him surprised that he was being asked to leave. DiNozzo turned to his dad, who also signaled for him to leave.

"Would you close the door, please, Gibbs?" Senior asked. "Otherwise, _he'll_ listen in." Gibbs actually laughed from the comment and nodded in agreement, as he came over and sat near the bed.

"How are you?" Gibbs asked.

"Not bad, thank you." Senior said.

"Just ask what you need to ask me Gibbs." Senior said with his charming smile.

"Are you enjoying your son being here?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes, immensely." Senior responded. Gibbs looked down trying to contain his frustration.

"Actually, he is the only one saving me from my dear sister Lorraine's cooking." Senior said with a laugh.

"Is that who that is. . .?" Gibbs asked of the woman Tony was so intimidated by and the snobbish old woman who answered the door.

"Junior spent a lot of time with her, when he was growing up." Senior offered. "She often would stay with him, when I would go on long business trips. . ."

"She still really intimidates him." Senior said laughing.

"Her cooking though. . .is terrible, so Junior keeps sneaking out and bringing back pizza." Senior said, causing them both to let out a short laugh.

"What do you have against your son dating or even marrying Wendy?" Gibbs asked.

"I have always admired your bluntness, Gibbs." Senior responded. "Would your parents have approved you dating your high school music teacher?"

Gibbs raised his eyebrows acknowledging the uniqueness of the situation.

"She is a bad influence." Senior said.

"How so?" Gibbs asked.

"First, she is the one that pushed him to major in _physical education_ in college." Senior said. Gibbs laughed.

"You didn't approve?" Gibbs asked.

"She was the reason that my son and I nearly stopped speaking to each other for years." Senior added.

"Yeah, it had nothing to do with you pushing him off into boarding schools or failing to come see him in Baltimore or D.C." Gibbs added.

"Her family has a reputation of stealing and hustling money off of us." Senior finished his speech.

"Ah _hustling_ used to be such a unique trait in a person." Gibbs snapped.

"Tony likes her." Gibbs said.

"However, I was willing to forget that. She called off the wedding." He added.

"But now. . ." Gibbs prompted.

"She shot me, while I was trying to enter Junior's apartment. Look, I realize I should have called first. And, I should have knocked first. I could not let her go to prison for an obvious accident."

"I am glad to hear that you caught that madman Harper Dearing. I met him once. . .actually before his son was killed." Senior added. "It was such a shock to hear what happened at NCIS. I wanted to come to D.C. to see it for myself. My plan was to drop off my stuff at Junior's apartment and come visit."

"But. . .?" Gibbs prompted.

"I was shot, and then Junior insisted that he take care of me." Senior said. "We are closer now than we ever have been."

"He feels guilty about what happened." Gibbs said. "That is why he is here."

"I know." Senior said. "But, I still like him being here."

"Does he like it here?" Gibbs asked. Senior looked down unable to answer the question.

"He told me he will adjust." Senior finally answered. "The family is being a little rough on him."

"Yeah?" Gibbs asked. "Are you supporting him with that?"

Senior looked away for a moment.

"So you talked him out of being a cop?" Gibbs accused.

"No!" He answered. ". . .well sort of. I asked him to be a cop in New York."

"And how did he react to that?" Gibbs asked.

"Actually, it sounds like he doesn't want to be a cop anymore." Senior said looking concerned.

"You are using this situation to manipulate him." Gibbs accused more forcefully.

"No! I wouldn't do that Gibbs." Senior argued.

"But. . .you are." Gibbs responded. "Talk to him. . .he feels guilty. That is why he is here. He has to be here. You were shot with his gun."

Gibbs stood up ready to leave the room.

"I do hope that you feel better Mr. DiNozzo. I am glad that you have improved your relationship with your son so much. It means a lot to him." Gibbs exited the room. He could hear DiNozzo at the end or the hallway having a tense conversation with the old woman.

"Yes ma'am, I will take care of it." DiNozzo said to her. Gibbs approached him.

"I know you have been sneaking in pizza for him! I can smell it." She snarled.

"You never liked my cooking." She accused. She turned to see Gibbs standing there. She let out an audible groan.

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo with a grin, once she left.

"Want to stay for dinner, Boss?" DiNozzo whispered. Gibbs let out a short laugh.

"Tony." Gibbs said. "Why don't you like your Aunt Lorraine's cooking?"

"I just had a little trouble with the Thanksgiving turkey back in '86." DiNozzo said. "And never forgot it." DiNozzo said with a smile, than he looked to Gibbs.

"You come back. . .when you are ready Tony." Gibbs said.

"Boss. . .I don't know, if I can." DiNozzo said.

"It is your choice, Tony. This is your decision to make. If you can be a cop in New York . . .than there shouldn't be a problem with you coming back to D.C. to be a cop" Gibbs said.

"I am not going to be a cop in New York." DiNozzo said in a sad tone.

"When you clear your head. . .and your father gets better. . ." Gibbs said confidently. DiNozzo looked at Gibbs and how confident he was that DiNozzo would be coming back.

"You did need this, Tony. You can repair _all the broken pieces_ that have prevented you from being happy." Gibbs said as he left.

**2 Months later**

"I didn't think that I could ever ride that elevator again." DiNozzo said as he got off and approached the squad room.

"Neither did I, Anthony." Ducky said as they were greeted by the others.

"So _what_ did we miss?" Ducky asked, as DiNozzo went to sit at his desk.

* * *

The End

Thank you so much for reading, for your feedback, and for the alerts!


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